The Anti-Müllerian Hormone as Endocrine and Molecular Marker Associated with Reproductive Performance in Holstein Dairy Cows Exposed to Heat Stress.

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is proposed as a biomarker for fertility in cattle, yet this associative relationship appears to be influenced by heat stress (HS). The objective was to test serum AMH and AMH-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as markers potentially predictive of reproductive traits in dairy cows experiencing HS. The study included 300 Holstein cows that were genotyped using BovineSNP50 (54,000 SNP). A genome-wide association study was then executed. Nine intragenic SNPs within the pathways that influence the AMH gene were found important with multiple comparisons adjustment tests (p < 1.09 × 10-6). A further validation study was performed in an independent Holstein cattle population, which was divided into moderate (MH; n = 152) and severe heat-stressed (SH; n = 128) groups and then subjected to a summer reproductive management program. Serum AMH was confirmed as a predictor of fertility measures (p < 0.05) in MH but not in the SH group. Cows were genotyped, which revealed four SNPs as predictive markers for serum AMH (p < 0.01), reproductive traits (p < 0.01), and additional physiological variables (p < 0.05). These SNPs were in the genes AMH, IGFBP1, LGR5, and TLR4. In conclusion, serum AMH concentrations and AMH polymorphisms are proposed as predictive markers that can be used in conjunction with genomic breeding value approaches to improve reproductive performance in Holstein cows exposed to summer HS conditions.

Novel lncRNA regulatory elements in milk somatic cells of Holstein dairy cows associated with mastitis.

Despite regulatory elements such as long non - coding RNAs representing most of the transcriptome, the functional understanding of long non - coding RNAs in relation to major health conditions including bovine mastitis is limited. This study examined the milk somatic cell transcriptome from udder quarters of 6 Holstein dairy cows to identify differentially expressed long non - coding RNAs using RNA - Sequencing. Ninety - four differentially expressed long non - coding RNAs are identified, 5 of which are previously annotated for gene name and length, 11 are annotated for gene name and 78 are novel, having no gene name or length previously annotated. Significant inflammatory response and regulation of immune response pathways (false discovery rate < 0.05) are associated with the differentially expressed long non - coding RNAs. QTL annotation analysis revealed 31 QTL previously annotated in the genomic regions of the 94 differentially expressed long non - coding RNAs, and the majority are associated with milk traits. This research provides a better understanding of long non - coding RNAs regulatory elements in milk somatic cells, which may enhance current breeding strategies for more adaptable or high mastitis resistant cattle.

Genetic Markers Associated with Milk Production and Thermotolerance in Holstein Dairy Cows Managed in a Heat-Stressed Environment.

Dairy production in Holstein cows in a semiarid environment is challenging due to heat stress. Under such conditions, genetic selection for heat tolerance appears to be a useful strategy. The objective was to validate molecular markers associated with milk production and thermotolerance traits in Holstein cows managed in a hot and humid environment. Lactating cows (n = 300) exposed to a heat stress environment were genotyped using a medium-density array including 53,218 SNPs. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) detected six SNPs associated with total milk yield (MY305) that surpassed multiple testing (p < 1.14 × 10-6). These SNPs were further validated in 216 Holstein cows from two independent populations that were genotyped using the TaqMan bi-allelic discrimination method and qPCR. In these cows, only the SNPs rs8193046, rs43410971, and rs382039214, within the genes TLR4, GRM8, and SMAD3, respectively, were associated (p < 0.05) with MY305, rectal temperature (RT), and respiratory rate. Interestingly, these variables improved as the number of favorable genotypes of the SNPs increased from 0 to 3. In addition, a regression analysis detected RT as a significant predictor (R2 = 0.362) for MY305 in cows with >1 favorable genotype, suggesting this close relationship was influenced by genetic markers. In conclusion, SNPs in the genes TLR4, GRM8, and SMAD3 appear to be involved in the molecular mechanism that regulates milk production in cows under heat-stressed conditions. These SNPs are proposed as thermotolerance genetic markers for a selection program to improve the milk performance of lactating Holstein cows managed in a semiarid environment.

RESVECH 2.0: cross-cultural adaptation for Brazil, reliability and validity for the evaluation of venous ulcers.

OBJECTIVES: to cross-culturally adapt the scale Resultados en la valoración y evolución de la cicatrización de las heridas - RESVECH 2.0 for Brazilian Portuguese; to estimate the internal consistency and construct and criterion validity of the scale in the evaluation of venous ulcers. METHODS: methodological study, based on international guidelines for studies of this type. Wounds were evaluated using the RESVECH 2.0 and Pressure Ulcer Scale of Healing 3.0 (PUSH). Descriptive analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha and Spearman's correlation (p<0.05) were used. RESULTS: 12 nurses and 77 people with 153 venous ulcers participated in the study. The translation was successful, the proposed factor model was validated, and Cronbach 's alpha = 0.832 (95%CI, 0.780-0.880) and correlation coefficient (RESVECH 2.0 and PUSH 3.0) = 0.74 were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: the adaptation of RESVECH 2.0 to Brazilian Portuguese is robust. Reliability and validity show compatibility for use in the country in the evaluation of venous ulcers.

Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome in Mexican Pediatric Patients with Ataxia-Telangiectasia.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a disease caused by mutations in the ATM gene (11q22.3-23.1) that induce neurodegeneration Sasihuseyinoglu AS et al.  Pediatr Allergy Immunol Pulmonol 31(1):9-14, 2018, Teive HAG et al. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 46:3-8, 2018. Clinically, A-T is characterized by ataxia, mucocutaneous telangiectasia, immunodeficiency, and malignancy. Movement disorders have been the most described and well-studied symptoms of A-T. Other studies have reported visuospatial processing disorders, executive function disorders and emotional regulation disorders, which are clinical manifestations that characterize cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS) Choy KR et al. Dev Dyn 247(1):33-46, 2018. To describe the neurocognitive and emotional state of pediatric patients with ataxia-telangiectasia and to discuss whether they have cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. This observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive study included 9 patients with A-T from May 2019 to May 2021. A complete medical history was retrieved, and tests were applied to assess executive functions, visual-motor integration and abilities, language, psychological disorders, and ataxia. Six girls and 3 boys agreed to participate. The age range was 6 to 14 years. The participants included five schoolchildren and four teenagers. Eight patients presented impaired executive functioning. All patients showed some type of error in copying and tracing (distortion) in the performance of visual perceptual abilities. Emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression were observed in six patients. Eight patients presented with dyslalia and impairments in word articulation, all patients presented with ataxia, and seven patients used a wheelchair. All patients presented symptoms consistent with CCAS and had variable cognitive performance.

Effect of canola oil supplementation level on total tract digestion, ruminal fermentation, and methane emissions of cows grazing Urochloa sp. supplemented with a fixed amount of concentrate.

Four rumen-cannulated cows (Bos taurus × Bos indicus, 657 ± 92 kg body weight, BW) in a rotational grazing (Urochloa sp.) system were assigned to different canola oil (CO) inclusion levels, 0.0, 0.40, 0.80, and 1.2 g/kg according to shrunk body weight (SBW, BW adjusted for gastrointestinal filling) in a 4 × 4 Latin Square design to evaluate CO on the CH4 emissions and dietary energy intake. CH4 emissions were estimated using an infrared analyzer methodology (Sniffer method). Grass intake and fecal production were estimated using Cr2O3 as an external marker. CO supplementation increased (linear effect, P ≤ 0.05) total dry matter and gross energy intake with a linear increase (P = 0.09) in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake. While digestible energy (Mcal/kg) linearly increased with increasing CO supplementation level (linear effect, P < 0.05), total tract digestion of organic matter, NDF, and CP was comparable (P > 0.05) between levels. Maximal CO supplementation (1.2 g/kg SBW) significantly decreased total ruminal protozoa population, acetate:propionate ratio, and enteric methane production (g/kg DMI) by 9, 5.3, and 17.5%, respectively. This study showed that, for cows grazing tropical forages, CO can be supplemented up to 1.2 g/kg SBW (5.8% of the total diet) without negatively affecting intake and nutrient digestion while reducing ruminal fermentation efficiency and enteric methane emission (≤ 17.5%).

RESVECH 2.0: cross-cultural adaptation for Brazil, reliability and validity for the evaluation of venous ulcers / RESVECH 2.0: adaptación transcultural para Brasil, fiabilidad y validez para evaluar úlceras varicosas / RESVECH 2.0: adaptação transcultural para o Brasil, confiabilidade e validade para avaliação de úlceras venosas

ABSTRACT Objectives: to cross-culturally adapt the scale Resultados en la valoración y evolución de la cicatrización de las heridas - RESVECH 2.0 for Brazilian Portuguese; to estimate the internal consistency and construct and criterion validity of the scale in the evaluation of venous ulcers. Methods: methodological study, based on international guidelines for studies of this type. Wounds were evaluated using the RESVECH 2.0 and Pressure Ulcer Scale of Healing 3.0 (PUSH). Descriptive analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha and Spearman's correlation (p<0.05) were used. Results: 12 nurses and 77 people with 153 venous ulcers participated in the study. The translation was successful, the proposed factor model was validated, and Cronbach 's alpha = 0.832 (95%CI, 0.780-0.880) and correlation coefficient (RESVECH 2.0 and PUSH 3.0) = 0.74 were obtained. Conclusions: the adaptation of RESVECH 2.0 to Brazilian Portuguese is robust. Reliability and validity show compatibility for use in the country in the evaluation of venous ulcers.

RESUMEN Objetivos: adaptar transculturalmente la escala "Resultados en la valoración y evolución de la cicatrización de heridas", RESVECH 2.0 al portugués de Brasil; estimar su consistencia interna, validez de constructo y de criterio para su utilización en úlceras varicosas. Métodos: es un estudio metodológico, basado en directivas internacionales sobre investigaciones de esta naturaleza. Se evaluaron las heridas por medio de la RESVECH 2.0 y de la Escala de Cicatrización de Úlceras por Presión 3.0 (PUSH). Se llevó a cabo con análisis descriptivo, análisis factorial confirmatorio, alfa de Cronbach y correlación de Spearman (p<0,05). Resultados: participaron 12 enfermeros y 77 personas que tenían 153 úlceras venosas. La traducción fue exitosa, el modelo factorial propuesto fue validado, el alfa de Cronbach = 0,832 (95%CI=0,780-0,880) y el coeficiente de correlación (RESVECH 2.0 y PUSH 3.0) = 0,74. Conclusiones: la adaptación de la RESVECH 2.0 al portugués brasileño es sólida. La fiabilidad y la validez demuestran la compatibilidad para su utilización en el país en la evaluación de las úlceras varicosas.

RESUMO Objetivos: adaptar transculturalmente a escala Resultados en la valoración y evolución de la cicatrización de las heridas - RESVECH 2.0 para o português do Brasil; estimar sua consistência interna, validade de construto e de critério para utilização em úlceras venosas. Métodos: estudo metodológico, baseado em diretrizes internacionais para estudos dessa natureza. Realizou-se avaliação das feridas por meio da RESVECH 2.0 e da Pressure Ulcer Scale of Healing 3.0 (PUSH). Empregou-se análise descritiva, análise fatorial confirmatória, alfa de Cronbach e correlação de Spearman (p<0,05). Resultados: participaram 12 enfermeiros e 77 pessoas com 153 úlceras venosas. A tradução foi bem-sucedida, o modelo fatorial proposto foi validado, obteve-se alfa de Cronbach = 0,832 (IC95%=0,780-0,880) e coeficiente de correlação (RESVECH 2.0 e PUSH 3.0) = 0,74. Conclusões: a adaptação da RESVECH 2.0 para o português do Brasil é robusta. A confiabilidade e validade evidenciam compatibilidade para utilização no país e avaliação de úlceras venosas.

RESVECH 2.0: cross-cultural adaptation for Brazil, reliability and validity for the evaluation of venous ulcers / RESVECH 2.0: adaptación transcultural para Brasil, fiabilidad y validez para evaluar úlceras varicosas / RESVECH 2.0: adaptação transcultural para o Brasil, confiabilidade e validade para avaliação de úlceras venosas

ABSTRACT Objectives: to cross-culturally adapt the scale Resultados en la valoración y evolución de la cicatrización de las heridas - RESVECH 2.0 for Brazilian Portuguese; to estimate the internal consistency and construct and criterion validity of the scale in the evaluation of venous ulcers. Methods: methodological study, based on international guidelines for studies of this type. Wounds were evaluated using the RESVECH 2.0 and Pressure Ulcer Scale of Healing 3.0 (PUSH). Descriptive analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha and Spearman's correlation (p<0.05) were used. Results: 12 nurses and 77 people with 153 venous ulcers participated in the study. The translation was successful, the proposed factor model was validated, and Cronbach 's alpha = 0.832 (95%CI, 0.780-0.880) and correlation coefficient (RESVECH 2.0 and PUSH 3.0) = 0.74 were obtained. Conclusions: the adaptation of RESVECH 2.0 to Brazilian Portuguese is robust. Reliability and validity show compatibility for use in the country in the evaluation of venous ulcers.

RESUMEN Objetivos: adaptar transculturalmente la escala "Resultados en la valoración y evolución de la cicatrización de heridas", RESVECH 2.0 al portugués de Brasil; estimar su consistencia interna, validez de constructo y de criterio para su utilización en úlceras varicosas. Métodos: es un estudio metodológico, basado en directivas internacionales sobre investigaciones de esta naturaleza. Se evaluaron las heridas por medio de la RESVECH 2.0 y de la Escala de Cicatrización de Úlceras por Presión 3.0 (PUSH). Se llevó a cabo con análisis descriptivo, análisis factorial confirmatorio, alfa de Cronbach y correlación de Spearman (p<0,05). Resultados: participaron 12 enfermeros y 77 personas que tenían 153 úlceras venosas. La traducción fue exitosa, el modelo factorial propuesto fue validado, el alfa de Cronbach = 0,832 (95%CI=0,780-0,880) y el coeficiente de correlación (RESVECH 2.0 y PUSH 3.0) = 0,74. Conclusiones: la adaptación de la RESVECH 2.0 al portugués brasileño es sólida. La fiabilidad y la validez demuestran la compatibilidad para su utilización en el país en la evaluación de las úlceras varicosas.

RESUMO Objetivos: adaptar transculturalmente a escala Resultados en la valoración y evolución de la cicatrización de las heridas - RESVECH 2.0 para o português do Brasil; estimar sua consistência interna, validade de construto e de critério para utilização em úlceras venosas. Métodos: estudo metodológico, baseado em diretrizes internacionais para estudos dessa natureza. Realizou-se avaliação das feridas por meio da RESVECH 2.0 e da Pressure Ulcer Scale of Healing 3.0 (PUSH). Empregou-se análise descritiva, análise fatorial confirmatória, alfa de Cronbach e correlação de Spearman (p<0,05). Resultados: participaram 12 enfermeiros e 77 pessoas com 153 úlceras venosas. A tradução foi bem-sucedida, o modelo fatorial proposto foi validado, obteve-se alfa de Cronbach = 0,832 (IC95%=0,780-0,880) e coeficiente de correlação (RESVECH 2.0 e PUSH 3.0) = 0,74. Conclusões: a adaptação da RESVECH 2.0 para o português do Brasil é robusta. A confiabilidade e validade evidenciam compatibilidade para utilização no país e avaliação de úlceras venosas.

Convalescent Plasma to Treat COVID-19: A Two-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Background: The use of convalescent plasma (CP) has been considered for its immunological mechanisms that could benefit patients in moderate and severe stages of COVID-19. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the use of donor CP for COVID-19. Material and methods: A double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from May to October 2020. Thirty-nine participants with moderate (II) and severe (III) stages of COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR were included. The study randomization rate was set at 3:1. CPs were chosen for application with a neutralizing antibody titer of ≥1:32. Results: We observed a significantly lower 21-day post-transfusion mortality HR: 0.17 (95.0% CI [0.07−0.45, p < 0.001]) in the group receiving CP compared with the control group; protective units (PU) in the group receiving convalescent plasma after seven days were significantly higher (512 (32−16,384) vs. 96 (32−256), p = 0.01); the PAO2/FIO2 index showed a significant improvement in the group receiving CP (251.01 (109.4) vs. 109.2 (62.4), p < 0.001, in the control group). Conclusion: CP is safe and effective, as it decreased mortality in the CP group compared with the control group.

Single-Step Genome Editing of Small Ruminant Embryos by Electroporation.

We investigated the possibility of single-step genome editing in small ruminants by CRISPR-Cas9 zygote electroporation. We targeted SOCS2 and PDX1 in sheep embryos and OTX2 in goat embryos, utilizing a dual sgRNA approach. Gene editing efficiency was compared between microinjection and three different electroporation settings performed at four different times of embryo development. Electroporation of sheep zygotes 6 h after fertilization with settings that included short high-voltage (poring) and long low-voltage (transfer) pulses was efficient at producing SOCS2 knock-out blastocysts. The mutation rate after CRISPR/Cas9 electroporation was 95.6% ± 8%, including 95.4% ± 9% biallelic mutations; which compared favorably to 82.3% ± 8% and 25% ± 10%, respectively, when using microinjection. We also successfully disrupted the PDX1 gene in sheep and the OTX2 gene in goat embryos. The biallelic mutation rate was 81 ± 5% for PDX1 and 85% ± 6% for OTX2. In conclusion, using single-step CRISPR-Cas9 zygote electroporation, we successfully introduced biallelic deletions in the genome of small ruminant embryos.

Effect of calving season on the parameters and components of the lactation curve in Holstein dairy cows managed in a semi-desert climate.

The lactation curve in dairy cows is influenced by the calving season, which is highly dependent on the warm climate in semi-arid regions. Objective herein was to evaluate effects of calving season on the parameters and components of the lactation curve in Holstein cows. The study included 278,317 milk records collected from 1086 cows from the 1st to 5th calving and good body condition score. The cows were grouped according to the season in which they calved: winter-calved (CS1), summer-calved (CS2), and autumn-calved cows (CS3). Ambient temperature and humidity data were used to calculate the temperature-humidity index (THI). The NLIN procedure was used to estimate the parameters of the lactation curve that served to calculate the components. The mixed procedure was executed to analyze the fixed effect of calving season. Associations between lactation curve traits were tested using correlation and regression analyses. A univariate model was utilized to calculate heritability. Average THI values during the lactation period were 73.5, 68.5, and 69.5 units for CS1, CS2, and CS3 groups, respectively. Initial milk production and increasing rate to the maximum milk yield in CS1 and CS3 groups were higher (P < 0.05) than CS2 cows. However, persistency and total milk yield during the entire lactation period were superior (P < 0.05) for CS2 and CS3 cows compared to CS1 cows, probably due to the moderate heat stress during the lactation period in the CS1 group. In cows from CS2 and CS3 groups, total milk production at 305 days was moderately correlated with initial milk production (r = 0.47; P < 0.05), and highly correlated with milk yield at peak day (r = 0.91; P < 0.05) which resulted as reliable predictor for total milk yield during the entire lactation (R2 = 0.83). In conclusion, the THI prevailing during the different calving seasons appeared to be an important factor influencing the performance of the lactation curve.

Environmental pollution with psychiatric drugs.

Among all contaminants of emerging interest, drugs are the ones that give rise to the greatest concern. Any of the multiple stages of the drug's life cycle (production, consumption and waste management) is a possible entry point to the different environmental matrices. Psychiatric drugs have received special attention because of two reasons. First, their use is increasing. Second, many of them act on phylogenetically highly conserved neuroendocrine systems, so they have the potential to affect many non-target organisms. Currently, wastewater is considered the most important source of drugs to the environment. Furthermore, the currently available wastewater treatment plants are not specifically prepared to remove drugs, so they reach practically all environmental matrices, even tap water. As drugs are designed to produce pharmacological effects at low concentrations, they are capable of producing ecotoxicological effects on microorganisms, flora and fauna, even on human health. It has also been observed that certain antidepressants and antipsychotics can bioaccumulate along the food chain. Drug pollution is a complicated and diffuse problem characterized by scientific uncertainties, a large number of stakeholders with different values and interests, and enormous complexity. Possible solutions consist on acting at source, using medicines more rationally, eco-prescribing or prescribing greener drugs, designing pharmaceuticals that are more readily biodegraded, educating both health professionals and citizens, and improving coordination and collaboration between environmental and healthcare sciences. Besides, end of pipe measures like improving or developing new purification systems (biological, physical, chemical, combination) that eliminate these residues efficiently and at a sustainable cost should be a priority. Here, we describe and discuss the main aspects of drug pollution, highlighting the specific issues of psychiatric drugs.

Use of pooled serum samples to assess herd disease status using commercially available ELISAs.

Pooled samples are used in veterinary and human medicine as a cost-effective approach to monitor disease prevalence. Nonetheless, there is limited information on the effect of pooling on test performance, and research is required to determine the appropriate number of samples which can be pooled. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the use of pooled serum samples as a herd-level surveillance tool for infectious production-limiting diseases: bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) and Neospora caninum (NC), by investigating the maximum number of samples one can pool to identify one positive animal, using commercial antibody-detection ELISAs. Four positive field standards (PFS), one for each disease, were prepared by pooling highly positive herd-level samples diagnosed using commercially available ELISA tests. These PFS were used to simulate 18 pooled samples ranging from undiluted PFS to a dilution representing 1 positive in 1,000 animals using phosphate-buffered saline as diluent. A 1:10 dilution of the PFS resulted in positive results for IBR, BVD and EBL. Moreover, for IBR and BVD, results were still positive at 1:100 and 1:30 dilutions, respectively. However, for NC, a lower dilution (8:10) was required for a seropositive result. This study indicates that, at herd-level, the use of pooled serum is a useful strategy for monitoring infectious diseases (BVD, IBR and EBL) but not NC, using readily available diagnostic assays.

Impacto de la anestesia intravenosa en cirugía robótica para paciente de alto riesgo sometido a cirugía oncológica de larga duración en el Centro Médico Naval / Impact of intravenous anesthesia in robotic surgery for high-risk patient undergoing long-term oncologic surgery at the Naval Medical Center

Resumen: La práctica de cirugía robótica es un proceso complejo que implica desarrollo y tecnología no sólo en el campo de la cirugía, sino también en el campo de la anestesiología. Implica un proceso multifactorial, ya que ha generado un cambio drástico multidisciplinario basado en tecnología de punta que pretende ofrecer mejores condiciones durante el manejo perioperatorio en cirugía robótica. La anestesia total intravenosa cumple objetivos específicos en relación a la posición del paciente, relajación cerebral, neuroprotección, hemodinamia, pérdida y recuperación de la conciencia, parálisis neuromuscular, parámetros ventilatorios, etc. Ofrece seguridad y calidad al paciente durante el procedimiento con una mínima interferencia con el monitoreo electrofisiológico y permite modular la profundidad anestésica desde una neurosedación hasta una anestesia general, de acuerdo a las diferentes etapas de la cirugía. Un factor atribuible a la anestesia moderna para el éxito de la cirugía robótica es usar diferentes agentes anestésicos que promuevan inducción, mantenimiento y emersión anestésica más rápida y suave, a fin de reducir el tiempo de recuperación del estado de conciencia, funciones básicas y psicomotoras como la anestesia general multimodal.

Abstract: The practice of robotic surgery is a complex process, involving development and technology; not only in the surgery field but also in the anesthesiology field. It implies a multifactorial process since it has generated a drastic multidisciplinary change based on state-of-the-art technology; which aims to offer better conditions during perioperative management in robotic surgery. Intravenous Total Anesthesia accomplishes specific objectives in relation to patient position, brain relaxation, neuroprotection, hemodynamics, loss and recovery of consciousness, neuromuscular paralysis, ventilatory parameters, providing safety and quality during the procedure; with minimal intervention during electrophysiological monitoring and enabling anesthetic depth to be modulated from neurosedation to general anesthesia, according to the different stages of the surgery. A factor attributable to modern anesthesia for robotic surgery success is to employ different anesthetic agents promoting induction, maintenance of general anesthesia, smother and faster anesthetic emersion, for the purpose of reducing recovery time of the state of consciousness), basic and psychomotor functions; as is the general multimodal anesthesia.

A SNP within the PMCH gene as a molecular marker associated with fertility traits in Angus and Brangus beef heifers raised under a desert environment.

Components of the GH/IGF1 endocrine axis regulate growth and reproductive traits in cattle. The pro-melanin-concentrating hormone (PMCH) gene located within chromosome 5 belongs to this axis. Objective herein was to evaluate PMCH single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as molecular markers associated with age at first calving, calving interval, and age at second calving in Angus and Brangus beef heifers raised in desert conditions. Five SNPs within the PMCH gene were included in the study. Three of these SNPs had minor allele frequency > 10% and only one SNP did not deviate from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. A genotype to phenotype association analyses was performed using a mixed-effects model which included phenotype as the response variable, SNP genotype, breed, year of birth and age of dam as fixed terms, and sire as a random effect. Genotypes from the SNP rs135033882 were found to be associated (P < 0.05) with all evaluated fertility traits, and the term breed resulted as a significant source of variation only for age at second calving. The allele A was the favorable allele because it decreased the age at first calving 98.6 days, the calving interval 85.3 days, and the age at second calving 183.1 days, in Angus and Brangus heifers. In conclusion, we proposed a SNP within the PMCH gene as a potential candidate marker associated with reproductive performance in Angus and Brangus beef heifers raised in a desert climate.

Large-Scale Multiplexing Permits Full-Length Transcriptome Annotation of 32 Bovine Tissues From a Single Nanopore Flow Cell.

A comprehensive annotation of transcript isoforms in domesticated species is lacking. Especially considering that transcriptome complexity and splicing patterns are not well-conserved between species, this presents a substantial obstacle to genomic selection programs that seek to improve production, disease resistance, and reproduction. Recent advances in long-read sequencing technology have made it possible to directly extrapolate the structure of full-length transcripts without the need for transcript reconstruction. In this study, we demonstrate the power of long-read sequencing for transcriptome annotation by coupling Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) with large-scale multiplexing of 93 samples, comprising 32 tissues collected from adult male and female Hereford cattle. More than 30 million uniquely mapping full-length reads were obtained from a single ONT flow cell, and used to identify and characterize the expression dynamics of 99,044 transcript isoforms at 31,824 loci. Of these predicted transcripts, 21% exactly matched a reference transcript, and 61% were novel isoforms of reference genes, substantially increasing the ratio of transcript variants per gene, and suggesting that the complexity of the bovine transcriptome is comparable to that in humans. Over 7,000 transcript isoforms were extremely tissue-specific, and 61% of these were attributed to testis, which exhibited the most complex transcriptome of all interrogated tissues. Despite profiling over 30 tissues, transcription was only detected at about 60% of reference loci. Consequently, additional studies will be necessary to continue characterizing the bovine transcriptome in additional cell types, developmental stages, and physiological conditions. However, by here demonstrating the power of ONT sequencing coupled with large-scale multiplexing, the task of exhaustively annotating the bovine transcriptome - or any mammalian transcriptome - appears significantly more feasible.

Evaluating the influence of progesterone concentration and time of exposure on in vitro endometrial decidualisation.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of progesterone (concentration and time of exposure) on endometrial decidualisation using an in vitro model cell line: Human Endometrial Stromal Cells (HESCs). HESCs exposed to progesterone (1 and 10 µM) had higher percentages of decidualised cells and higher expression of the decidual marker (Insulin Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 (IGFBP1)) compared with those exposed to (0.1 µM). Among those HESCs cultured with 1 µM progesterone for 11 days, the highest rate of morphological differentiation (40-50%) occurred between days 7-9 and IGFBP1 peaked on day 7. The cell-cycle pathway was significantly down-regulated in HESCs exposed to at least 1 µM progesterone regardless of the incubation period. We conclude that exposure to high progesterone concentration for 7-9 days is essential to maximise the process of decidualisation.

Functional annotations of three domestic animal genomes provide vital resources for comparative and agricultural research.

Gene regulatory elements are central drivers of phenotypic variation and thus of critical importance towards understanding the genetics of complex traits. The Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes consortium was formed to collaboratively annotate the functional elements in animal genomes, starting with domesticated animals. Here we present an expansive collection of datasets from eight diverse tissues in three important agricultural species: chicken (Gallus gallus), pig (Sus scrofa), and cattle (Bos taurus). Comparative analysis of these datasets and those from the human and mouse Encyclopedia of DNA Elements projects reveal that a core set of regulatory elements are functionally conserved independent of divergence between species, and that tissue-specific transcription factor occupancy at regulatory elements and their predicted target genes are also conserved. These datasets represent a unique opportunity for the emerging field of comparative epigenomics, as well as the agricultural research community, including species that are globally important food resources.